Message Title: A Wise Masterbuilder
Date: Sunday May 22, 2011
Chapters: II Chronicles 4-6
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-may-22
Details of Today's Chapters: Details on the construction of the Temple, the Temple is complete, the ark brought in and the glory od the Lord fills the house, and Solomon’s sermon and prayer.

Hello My Friend/Guest,

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ... If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” - I Corinthians 3:10,11,14-17.

The first step to building a structure is to lay the foundation, without a good, sturdy foundation the structure would be destroyed. Once the foundation is set and construction begins, piece by piece it becomes a strong, sound structure able to withstand any storm. The flesh we tote around us every day is put together much like a building, if it is laid upon the foundation of Christ piece by piece, it will withstand any storm.

King Solomon continued building the Temple, it took about seven and a half years for it to be completed, but every detail was precise and everything that went into the Temple was pure and only of the best quality. The furniture and amount of items in the Temple, compared with that of the Tabernacle, showed that God's church would be enlarged, as His worshipers multiplied.

“Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof...He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left. He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of gold.” - II Chronicles 4:1,6-8.

It was important that everything that went into the Temple be pure and perfect, a foreseen quality that would be of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, those who are saved are the Temple of God, He dwells within the soul of every believer. Since we are His Temple it is just as important that everything we put into it be pure. We are not perfect, but we can be pure, keeping our body and mind undefiled, in other words living by some standards and morals. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.” - Psalm 119:1-3.

Now that the Temple was complete it was time to bring the Ark of God to it's final resting place. Solomon gathered the priests and Levites as God commanded would be the only ones allowed to handle the Ark and put the Ark and all the holy vessels in place. The Ark was a token of the presence of God, when the people saw the Ark they knew that God was with them.

“Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion...And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.” - II Chronicles 5:2,4-6.

With praise, thanksgiving, music, and singing all the people were gathered together as one to see this wonderful event take place. There was nothing in the Ark except for the two tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments on them. These were to be a constant reminder of God's Covenant with Israel and to make them a holy nation. As soon as the Ark was in it's place God took possession of the Temple.

“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.” - II Chronicles 5:11-14.

God is always with His believers, but there is something about the sense of seeing His presence that increases a persons faith in Him. Any believer, even today, has the power to see His presence, look around you, God is everywhere, in the people we meet, in ourselves, in His beautiful creations, in the miracles we see every day, life in itself is a miracle, we should never take for granted that we are one of God's miracles and how much we mean to Him. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” - Hebrews 13:5.

As a wise masterbuilder Jesus Christ builds our Temple, piece by piece, as we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us we become a strong, solid structure. Start cutting corners and leaving out a few pieces here and there and it will be destroyed. The amazing thing is that as long as we are standing upon the foundation of Christ even if we have destroyed our Temple the foundation remains intact, allowing us to rebuild. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” - Roamans 5:8-10. Praise God!

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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